The Westside Gazette

PRSRT STD

U.S. POSTAGE

PAID

FT. LAUDERDALE, FL 33310

PERMIT NO. 1179

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 27 - DECEMBER 3, 2025

VOL. 54 NO. 43 $1.00

Viola Ford Fletcher,

the oldest Tulsa Race Massacre living

survivor, has died at 111 years old

Photo credit: Florida Channel/ Central Florida Public Media

Viola Ford Fletcher —

known to the world as

Mother Fletcher is the

oldest living survivor

of the 1921 Tulsa Race

Massacre and one of the

most powerful living

witnesses to America’s

suppressed history. Born

in 1914, she was only

seven years old when mobs

burned the prosperous

Greenwood District,

known as Black Wall

Street, destroying her

family’s home, livelihood,

and sense of safety in a

single night. For nearly a

century she carried those

memories quietly, but

with unshakable clarity

the screams, the smoke,

the terror in the streets,

the planes overhead.

(Cont’d on page 9)

Audit of Florida’s voucher program finds

overspending, underfunded public schools

By Danielle Prieur

(Source: Central Florida Public Media)

Florida Sen. Jason Pizzo talks about

the audit during a committee meeting

Wednesday morning.

An independent audit of Florida’s

voucher system has been submitted to the

legislature, and a review of its findings in a

Senate committee found several budgetary

pitfalls.

The audit found a funding shortfall of $398

million for the voucher program during the

2024-2025 school year. It also found missed

cross-check opportunities and ineffective

survey processes, which led to funding

inequities in some public schools.

Several private schools also missed out

on being paid for the educational services

they provided students.

Sen. Jason Pizzo, an independent from

South Florida, is vice chair of the committee

that reviewed the audit. He thinks the Florida

Department of Education isn’t capable of

running the voucher program.

“What the

Storm Left

Behind”

Fate of Civil Rights

Office Unknown

as Trump Continues to Dismantle

Department of Education

BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE

— A busy news week has

distracted from a continuing

effort by the Trump

Administration to relocate,

and in some cases end, the U.S.

Department of Education.

By Lauren Burke

A busy news week heading

into the Thanksgiving holiday has

distracted from a continuing effort

by the Trump Administration to

relocate, and in some cases end, the

U.S. Department of Education. It

has long been known that Trump

and his policy advisors want to

dismantle the department — but

the acceleration over the last week

has taken some by surprise.

The U.S. Department of

Education was established in 1979

under President Jimmy Carter. It

was created to unify and elevate

federal efforts to support public

schools and protect students’


“These are taxpayer dollars and we’re

trusted with these dollars,” Pizzo said. “I

left myself asking, ‘Does the department

have the ability to reconcile these issues?’

I don’t know that many people in that office

have ever made a payroll. Certainly you

could never close out books for a company or

an organization the way this is.”

The audit also found hundreds of voucher

accounts for students with disabilities

had balances that exceeded the maximum

legal amount per year. These additional

payments totaled $2.3 million by the end of

the year.

Pizzo said at least some of those issues

were addressed years ago, before the

Legislature voted in 2023 on HB-1, which

created the state’s universal voucher

program.

“At long last, some of us pre-staged

the idea that $642 million dollars was an

aspirational, BS amount a couple years ago

that it would balloon up to something like

$3 or $4 billion. And we were told we were


A MESSAGE FROM

THE PUBLISHER

What have we

learned from

double standards

and dangerous

hypocrisy

in elections

Editorial by

Bobby R. Henry, Sr.

There comes a time when

we must speak plainly,

especially when the winds

of accusation begin to blow

unevenly across our political

landscape. Today, I stand in

support of confronting double

standards —not to dismiss

the seriousness of the charges

brought against her, but to

demand a level of scrutiny,

fairness, and consistency that

our nation seems increasingly

unwilling to apply equally.

Rep. Cherfilus-McCormick

has been indicted on

allegations of misusing

federal disaster relief funds

and funneling money into her

2021 congressional campaign.

The details of the indictment

are now public, and she, like

every citizen, is entitled to

the presumption of innocence

and the full protection of due

process. She has retained

competent counsel and vowed

to fight to clear her name, as

any committed public servant

would.

But what struck me more

deeply than the charges

themselves was the statement

issued by US Attorney General

Pam Bondi, who said:

“No one is above the law,

least of all powerful people

who rob taxpayers for personal

gain.”

A strong statement, one I

certainly support in principle.

However, it is impossible

to hear such words from Pam

Bondi without confronting

the glaring contradiction

standing right beside her: she

defends, supports, and stands

aligned with a president who


For years, readers across the country have been looking

for history that feels real, accessible, and honest. What began

as short videos on TikTok has now turned into a full line of

books after thousands of followers reached out asking to hold

this history in their hands. Fort Pierce author and awardwinning

artist Ramon Robinson has officially released his

first ten titles on Amazon, giving readers everywhere access

to stories that have too often

been overlooked or ignored.

The Westside Gazette and


The Westside Gazette Newspaper

DR. JAMES

By Dr. M. James

I came back to Jamaica

two weeks ago with the kind

of foolish confidence you earn

from distance, the belief that

memory alone can protect the

places you love. I thought I

knew what I was walking into.

You see enough disaster clips

online, and you tell yourself you

understand. I have lived many

disaster-type situations trying

to be a sojourner of black truth.

But the thing about storms is

that the camera always misses

the part that hurts the most.

The quiet. The smell. The

stunned way people move,

almost zombie-like, after the

world rearranges itself. Before

all this, my sense of home was

stitched into small, ordinary


@TheWestsideGazetteNewspaper

Thursday

Nov 27 th

Partly Cloudy

Sunrise: 6:43am

Fri

73°

56°

72°

57°

76°

67°

78°

71°

85°

77°

Sunset: 5:29pm

Sat Sun Mon Tues

WESTSIDE GAZETTE IS A MEMBER:

National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA)

Southeastern African-American Publishers Association (SAAPA)

Florida Association of Black Owned Media (FABOM)

80°

73°

ontinues

trides in

ent loan

their student debt. Biden

said the plan aims to create

a more affordable student

PAGE 2 • NOVEMBER 27 - DECEMBER 3, 2025

44,000 teachers, nurses,

firefighters, and other public

service professionals who

relief through income-driven

repayment plans will now see

their debts forgiven.

barriers preventing borrowers

from accessing the relief they

were entitled to under the law.

www.thewestsidegazette.com

Hesitation for

Vaccinations

By Nathan Rawls

With it being cold and flu

season, there is much conversation in the community

about vaccines. Some people are cheerful about

Florida’s new policy that will end the vaccination

requirement for school entry, being the first U.S. state

to do so, beginning December 2025. They believe that

parents should be free to decide whether to vaccinate

their kids against diseases like chicken pox and

Hepatitis B, rather than the government making that

decision. But the law proposal has also alarmed some medical professionals,

who said that lower vaccination rates will weaken herd immunity and

could cause highly contagious diseases like measles and polio to come

back in schools, which would be very dangerous. Dr. Renard Rawls, MD,

a gastroenterologist in Jacksonville, Florida, with more than 25 years

of experience, says, “A vaccine mandate not only protects those who are

vaccinated but also others in our community who cannot get vaccinated

due to chronic conditions that may compromise their immune system.

We, as a society, rely on herd immunity to keep everyone safe. Without

a requirement for vaccinations, we might lose this protection. The policy

puts individual freedom against the safety of the public’s health”. Others

are happy to see this requirement being lifted. One mother who would

like to remain anonymous said, “I don’t want the government telling me

what to do with my children. Whether or not they get vaccinated should

be a decision I make as a parent and not a politician.”

While this is a personal decision, we should all remain vigilant and

safe to keep those most vulnerable in our community safe and healthy.

List compiled by Kamar Jackson,a junior at Dillard High School

Youthful Faithful Reflections

By Jabari Boville

“Don’t give up - God has your back“

To every young person feeling lost, tired, or unsure of what

comes next — remember this: God still has a plan for your life.

The road may not always be easy, but your struggles are shaping

your strength. In moments when the world feels heavy, turn to

prayer and trust that the Lord is walking beside you. No dream

is too far, and no mistake is too great for God’s grace to reach.

Keep your faith strong, surround yourself with people who uplift

you, and never forget that your purpose is bigger than your

problems. Hope is not gone it’s alive in you, because Christ lives

in you.

College

Prep

conceptualize

adjective (verb)

Word of

the Week

to form a concept or idea of something, or to think

about something in a general or abstract way

being at HOW rest; TO USE IN A inactive SENTENCE: or

motionless; abstract meaning to make quiet; it easier to understand. still: a

quiescent mind.

The philosopher often conceptualizes complex theories into

The Government Shutdown: What It Means for Us

By Renada Toyer

When Washington, DC can’t come to

an agreement on funding, parts of the

federal government immediately close

their doors. A government shutdown

occurs when Congress fails to pass,

or the president fails to sign bills that

allow for agencies to keep running.

Unnecessary federal employees are

laid off or on leave without pay;

services slow down, and programs that

depend on yearly preemption can face

interruptions until lawmakers take the

time to fix the budget.

From a local aspect, the issues

are silenced but just as real. School

lunch programs that rely on federal

reimbursement, families patiently

waiting for financial aid, and

community members who work for

federal businesses and agencies feel

the pressure. Contractors

lose paychecks. Postal

workers still deliver, but

if the support of services

is minimized, delays and

disorientation can appear. As well

as many households, a shutdown

turns bills into everlasting stress

and constant worry.

Chris Sanford, my sports

literature teacher at Western

High School, worries for students

who count on school programs.

“Kids come to school with hunger,”

he says. “If food programs or

support staff gets delayed, the

people that get hit first by this

downfall are the students who

are already hanging by a thread.”

Sanford’s voice is amplified—a

teacher who is used to watching

students who struggle day to day

and have no one to help them.

Teachers do their best to fill gaps,

but classrooms can’t replace the

systems.

Kara Mullins, the media studies

and yearbook advisor at Western

High School, sees the impact of

funding detainment, and it shows

nuts when we said that. And here we are,” Pizzo

said.

Also, at the meeting, was general counsel for six to

12 private, mostly Christian schools that say they

weren’t paid for the services they provided to kids

on vouchers.

Attorney Lamonte W. Carter said the schools

have, “experienced a great amount of loss and

damages since 2022 in somewhat of detrimental

reliance on payment of scholarships that were

awarded to students that enrolled and yet were not

paid.”

Carter said he’s been working with Step Up for

Students, the nonprofit that manages the voucher

program, to try to resolve these issues. He says the

schools he represents include those serving kids

with autism and behavioral problems, and those in

low socioeconomic communities.

Step Up for Students says, they believe, “there is

a fundamental misunderstanding or disagreement

by these schools as to the timing and funding

requirements for school scholarships.”

up in the places most people don’t

look at. “People tend to forget

that extracurricular and creative

programs also depend on federal

support,” Mullins said. “When a

shutdown hits, equipment orders

are held back, grants are frozen,

and software updates or cameras

that are needed can’t be afforded.

These things might sound small

or not necessary, but these things

are what keeps students involved,

creative, and connected with their

school.”

Her disappointment is based

on experience as she’s watched

driven and motivated students

lose their spark not because

they lack talent, but because

the resources are lost. “A lot of

students find their voices in the

media,” she said. “But when they

system closes, their opportunities

close with it.”

Growing into a strong young lady

Continue reading online at:

thewestsidegazette.com

Audit of Florida’s voucher program from Front Page

“We have worked extremely closely with these

schools who believe they have not been fully funded.

We are confident that our records will demonstrate

our commitment to servicing them, and that their

claims are unwarranted. We will continue to work

with them to ensure that every eligible student is

funded appropriately,” read a statement from Step

Up.

The Florida Department of Education said

it’s working on strategies to collaborate with

and communicate better with public and private

schools throughout this process.

Some 500,000 students in Florida are currently

using school vouchers. Starting in 2023, all

families were eligible to apply, under the state’s

new universal program.

Public schools across Central Florida have been

decrying a drop in enrollment and the resulting

drop in funding this school year.

Orange County Public Schools, which lost 7,000

students this year, has advocated locally and in

Washington, D.C., to fully fund public schools.

q

It’s p

long

subt

as w

Leia’s Mathematics

Corner

A family buys 4 turkeys for Thanksgiving.

Each turkey has 2 legs.

How many turkey legs are there in total?

56

x 8

78

- 56

Created by Leia P.

4th grader!


Ain’t That A VHIT

Patience Is

a Virtue,

Which Is a

Good Thing

By Von C. Howard

Patience. Just the word alone

can make most of us take a deep

breath. In a world of same-day

delivery, instant streaming, and

quick-turn responses, waiting

feels almost foreign. We live in a

time where everything is designed

for speed, answers, results, even

relationships. Yet, spiritually

speaking, the moments that shape

us most deeply are often the ones

where we have no choice but to

wait.

There’s something profoundly

beautiful about learning to

wait, not the kind that tests our

calendars or convenience, but the

kind that tests our faith. We’ve

all heard the phrase, “Patience is

a virtue,” but living that out in

today’s world is one of life’s greatest

challenges. We want progress

now, closure now, blessings

now. But God often works in the

meanwhile, in the silent spaces

between what we prayed for and

what He’s preparing.

When I think back over my

own life, some of my greatest

growth came when I was forced

to pause. Times when the doors

I wanted to open stayed shut,

when I couldn’t make sense of the

season I was in. But looking back,

I can see that God was never late,

He was strategic. Every delay

had purpose. Every “not yet” was

really a “not this way.” The older

I get, the more I understand that

waiting isn’t punishment, it’s

preparation.

Exodus 14:14 reminds us, “The

Lord will fight for you; you need

only to be still.” Stillness isn’t

weakness, it’s trust. It’s saying,

“God, I don’t have all the answers,

but I trust You to handle what I

can’t.” It’s believing that while

we’re waiting, He’s working.

Sometimes the hardest battles

aren’t fought on the outside but

within, battles with worry, doubt,

and the urge to rush what God is

still refining.

Waiting in the worst of times

is often the best of times for God

to teach us the lessons we can’t

learn in comfort. In the waiting,

we develop endurance. In the

uncertainty, we grow in faith. And

in the silence, we learn to listen

more deeply to God, to ourselves,

and to what truly matters.

Every delay has a divine

purpose. Sometimes what feels

like a setback is simply a setup

for something greater. God isn’t

withholding; He’s preparing. And

the process of waiting is often the

soil where blessings grow.

So, if you’re in a season of

waiting right now, don’t rush

it. Keep still. Let God fight your

battles. Learn to find purpose

in the pause and strength in the

silence. Because when it’s all

said and done, you’ll realize the

patience that once frustrated

you became the very thing that

fortified you.

Patience truly is a virtue and

more than that, it’s a gift. A good

thing that anchors us in faith,

shapes our hearts, and prepares

us for everything that’s meant to

come.

By Mitch Perry, Florida Phoenix

(Source: The Miami Times)

A MESSAGE FROM

THE PUBLISHER from FP

Deeply Rooted

Florida election supervisors are again

asking state lawmakers to change state

law to make it easier for Floridians to vote

by mail, but whether the GOP-controlled

Legislature will act on the request is

questionable, since they ignored a similar

request earlier this year.

David Ramba, representing the Florida

Supervisors of Elections, told the Senate

Ethics and Elections Committee on

Wednesday that supervisors in the state

want lawmakers to reinstate the checkbox

on mail-in ballot envelopes, an item wiped

away by a 2021 election law that requires

voters to renew their vote-by-mail (VBM)

ballots requests every two years instead of

every four years.

As election officials told lawmakers in a

similar committee meeting before the 2025

legislative session, the results from two

special elections held earlier this year put

in stark relief how voters are still not used

to the change in law.

Referring to the Congressional District

1 election in the Panhandle, Ramba said

there were 98,000 plus VBM requests on

file in November 2024, when then-GOP

U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz was running for reelection.

After Gaetz resigned from the

seat and a special primary election was

held in January 2025, there were just over

12,000 VBM requests.

Ramba said the same situation took

place in Florida’s Sixth Congressional

District, where a special election was

held earlier this year after Mike Waltz

stepped down to serve as Donald Trump’s

national security adviser. (He’s now U.N.

ambassador.)

“It is a huge expense for our supervisors

to go out and then solicit people who want

to vote by mail,” Ramba said.

“When they do vote by mail, and we

receive your ballot in the November ’24

general election VBM, we are confirming

your personal information. We know your

address. We sent you that ballot. We do

not send ballots out to people who did not

ask for them. We have confirmed your

signature. We have counted your ballot.

We believe there should be the opportunity

for that valid voter to — we call it ‘check

the box’ — to be able to ask to continue to

be on that vote-by-mail list.”

Sen. Tina Polsky, a Democrat

representing parts of Broward and Palm

Beach counties, said it’s become obvious

that the law making it incumbent for voters

to request a vote-by-mail ballot every two

rights. It has also been the department that has amplified the national

education policy.

“The Trump Administration cannot close a federal agency without an act

of Congress. Nevertheless, the Trump Administration is intent on breaking

the law and dismantling the Department of Education,” Rep. Bobby Scott, the

senior Democrat on the House Committee on Education and Workforce, said

in a written statement on Nov. 20.

“Today’s announcement is part and parcel of the Trump Administration’s

larger agenda to reduce federal enforcement of civil rights laws and eliminate

support for low-income communities. A core function of ED is to protect and

defend students’ civil rights,” Rep. Scott added.

Since taking office again in January, the Trump Administration has made

its central focus to dismantle civil rights policies passed in the 1960s. The

undoing of civil rights protections and a theme of anti-Blackness is now a

cornerstone policy during Trump’s second term in office.

Trump has reversed the 2015 “Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing”

(AFFH) rule, a civil-rights tool aimed at reducing segregation and racial

disparities in housing. Trump has also ended disparate-impact liability in civilrights

enforcement, and in 2025, Trump signed an executive order instructing

federal agencies to deprioritize enforcement of “disparate-impact” theory —

Continue reading online at: thewestsidegazette.com

NOVEMBER 27 - DECEMBER 3, 2025 • PAGE 3

Florida election supervisors once again ask lawmakers

to make it easier to vote by mail

Fate of Civil Rights Office Unknown from FP

allegations but 34 felony convictions, and who

continues to enjoy unwavering political backing from

the very people who now claim to be the guardians of

justice.

Where was this righteous indignation when

insurrection was incited?

Where was this “no one is above the law” energy

when pardons were bartered like souvenirs?

Where was this moral clarity when democratic

institutions were assaulted and truth itself was

placed on trial?

This selective outrage is not justice it’s political

theater. And the hypocrisy is deafening.

Rep. Cherfilus-McCormick has served the people

of South Florida with diligence, accessibility, and an

unwavering commitment to her constituents. She

won her congressional seat in a razor-thin primary,

a testament to grassroots organizing and community

trust and then secured a decisive mandate in the

general election. She has been a voice for vulnerable

communities, for health equity, for economic

opportunity, and for those often left behind in the

political process.

If she has made mistakes, let the investigation

proceed. Let the evidence speak. Let the courts do

their job. That is the American way.

But let us be clear:

We will not allow her to be tried in the court of

public opinion by individuals whose own moral

compass spins according to political convenience.

Pam Bondi cannot preach about accountability

while still polishing the image of a man who has

been found guilty across jurisdictions from fraud to

falsified business records to obstruction of justice.

If we are to talk about “self-enrichment,” let us talk

about the millions made from foreign governments at

luxury hotels. If we are to talk about “rob taxpayers,”

let us talk about the billions in tax-funded security,

legal defenses, and political theatrics that continue

to drain our nation.

If “no one is above the law,” then the standard

must be equal for Democrats, for Republicans, for

presidents and for representatives alike.

Rep. Cherfilus-McCormick deserves that fairness.

She deserves that patience. And she deserves the

chance to defend her record without being used as a

convenient foil for political hypocrisy.

In South Florida, we know her work.

We know her commitment.

We know her fight for the underserved.

And until the facts are proven, we owe her

something rare in today’s political climate the truth

of due process and the dignity of fairness.

Let those who cry out for justice show they

understand what the word actually means. “We all

have fallen short…”

(Miami Times File Photo)

years after an election simply isn’t working.

“It’s not helping the electorate. The supervisors of elections

have told us that. The numbers tell us that. All of our constituents

tell us that. Every meeting I go to with constituents I end it

by saying, ‘You must renew your vote-by-mail ballot,’ because

people don’t know,” she said.

“And so we should — we in this committee should look at the

data and say, ‘This didn’t work. This was a failed experiment.’

Let’s go back to how it was before with checking the box,

because there was no fraud associated with checking the box

because of the excellent list maintenance and everything that

they do and all of the laws that have been implemented since

that time and take a look at that.”

The request was one of just seven that the organization

representing Florida’s 67 supervisors of elections made

Wednesday to the committee.


Robinson Answers Community Demand

With Ten New Books from Front Page

Automated Solutions played

a major role in making this

possible, offering Robinson the

support and tools he needed to

bring these projects from concept

to completion. The result is a

collection of books that tells the

truth plainly and gives credit to

the people whose work shaped the

world.

The first releases include

stories on Sergeant William H.

Carney, Dr. James Sistrunk, Fred

Hampton, Charles Drew, Mary

McLeod Bethune, Ida B. Wells,

Gary Webb, Zora Neale Hurston,

Miles Davis, and a powerful

historical horror title, Envy and

Extermination, which focuses on

Germany’s concentration camps in

Africa and how those actions set

the stage for the Holocaust.

Robinson says the mission

behind these books is simple:

make the truth easy to access.

“We should see our stories

everywhere,” Robinson explained.

“In our music, in stores, on social

media, and anywhere people go

to learn. We can’t afford for our

history to sit in the shadows.”

Along with the new books,

Robinson has begun creating

original music that pairs with

the stories, giving readers a

soundtrack that brings each




Westside Gazette

Calendar of Events

Deeply Rooted

LOCAL HAPPENINGS IN

BROWARD MIAMI-DADE

AND PALM BEACH

COUNTIES

HAVE YOUR COMMUNITY EVENTS

PLACED ON THIS PAGE

email:wgproof@thewestsidegazette.com

Call -- (954) 525-1489

Happy Birthday * Weddings * Anniversaries

Retirements * Congratulations

HAPPY THANKSGIVING

FROM THE WESTSIDE GAZETTE

MANAGEMENT & STAFF


Follow @TheWestsideGazette Newspaper on Social Media +

WATCH episodes of the 2-Minute Warning via YT or FB

STAY

CONNECTED --



Congresswoman Waters Introduces Urban and Rural

Diabetes Initiative Act in honor of National Diabetes Month

Submitted by Congresswoman

Maxine Waters

WASHINGTON –

Congresswoman Maxine

Waters (CA-43), Ranking

Member of the Committee

on Financial Services,

introduced the Urban and

Rural Diabetes Initiative

Act (H.R. 6241) yesterday in

honor of National Diabetes

Month, which is celebrated

in November. This bill will

establish an initiative to

provide grants to public

and non-profit healthcare

providers for diabetes

prevention, care, and

treatment programs in

medically underserved urban

things. Like the shortcut up Park Mountain.

That path was never really meant for children,

but we took it anyway, barefoot, slipping on

mossy stones that had seen centuries of rain.

I can still hear Aunt Vera shouting from her

veranda, “Mind dat stone by di mango tree!”

She said it every time, even when I pretended

I didn’t hear her. The air up there always

smelled of wet breadfruit leaves and fresh

mud, the kind of scent that embodies itself in

you whether you want it or not.

As an adult, I traded mountain climbs

for early mornings by the Black River shore,

a cup of coffee warming my hands while the

sea did what it always did, breathed in and

out like a calm giant. There was a fisherman

in the neighborhood who used to nod at me

without saying a word. We had that kind of

relationship, mutual acknowledgment, no

and rural communities.

The bill is cosponsored by

21 of the Congresswoman’s

congressional colleagues and

endorsed by the American

Diabetes Association.

“Diabetes is the seventh

leading cause of death

in the United States,

and it is having a severe

impact on many American

communities,” said

Congresswoman Waters.

The Urban and Rural

Diabetes Initiative Act

will provide grants for a

variety of diabetes-related

health services, including

public education on diabetes

prevention and control, routine

care for diabetic patients, eye

“What the Storm Left Behind” from FP

care, foot care, and treatment

for kidney disease and other

complications of diabetes. The

initiative will be required to

provide grants in a manner

that ensures an equitable

geographic distribution

of funds and balances the

needs of urban and rural

communities.

“The American Diabetes

Association is pleased to

support the Urban and

Rural Diabetes Initiative

Act. By providing grants

for diabetes prevention,

routine care, and

treatment in medically

underserved urban and

rural communities, this

bill could help reduce

conversation

needed. The

beach wasn’t

grand, but it

was steady.

Bottles from the

last dancehall

party sometimes

scatter the beach, which fishermen use the

next morning for fishing floats for crab traps.

Reliable. Familiar. It was the kind of place you

grow into without realizing it.

And then Melissa came.

When I walked back to that beach, or the

place where the beach used to be, I didn’t

recognize it at first. The sand was gone, all of

it. The sea had eaten it clean away, leaving



Make Collecting Family Health History

Part Of Your Thanksgiving Plans

(Source BlackDoctor.org)

Deeply Rooted

complications, improve

health access, and the

health of millions of

Americans affected by

diabetes,” said Catherine

Ferguson, Vice President

of Federal Advocacy for

the American Diabetes

Association.

The American Diabetes

Association reports that

diabetes affects more than

38 million Americans, which

is more than 11 percent of

our nation’s population, and

an additional 97 million

American adults are living

with prediabetes. Every

year, 1.2 million Americans

are newly diagnosed with

diabetes. Furthermore,

diagnosed cases of diabetes


and related complications

were responsible for more than

$306 billion in direct medical

costs and an additional $106

billion in indirect costs for our

nation’s economy.

“Diabetes

can

lead to serious and

even life-threatening

complications, including

cardiovascular disease,

stroke, blindness, kidney

disease, nerve damage, and

lower-limb amputations,”

said Congresswoman

Waters. “This important

legislation will help reduce

the incidence of diabetes

in medically underserved

communities and improve

the ability of people

affected by diabetes to live

healthy and productive

lives.”

The Urban and Rural

Diabetes Initiative Act

is cosponsored by Nanette

Barragán (CA-44), Joyce

Beatty (OH-03), André

Carson (IN-07), Troy Carter

(LA-02), Yvette D. Clarke

(NY-09), Emanuel Cleaver,

II (MO-05), Danny K. Davis

(IL-07), Cleo Fields (LA-06),

Jonathan L. Jackson (IL-01),

Hank Johnson (GA-04), Ro

Khanna (CA-17), Gwen Moore

(WI-04), Eleanor Holmes

Norton (DC), Delia Ramirez

(IL-03), Terri Sewell (AL-

07), Shri Thanedar (MI-13),

Bennie G. Thompson (MS-

02), Rashida Tlaib (MI-12),

Juan Vargas (CA-52), Bonnie

Watson Coleman (NJ-12), and

Nikema Williams (GA-05).

From Solitary Confinement to Courtroom Advocate

Kaysia M. Earley, Esq. Unveils Her Powerful Memoir -Houses

Built by Faith: Jailhouse, God’s House, Courthouse

In her highly anticipated memoir, acclaimed South Florida litigator details her journey from

incarceration to inspiration, revealing how faith turned her pain into advocacy in Houses Built

by Faith: Jail house. God’s House. Courthouse.

In her deeply personal and inspiring memoir, Kaysia chronicles her extraordinary journey

from solitary confinement to courtroom advocacy, revealing how faith transformed her pain into

purpose. Through three symbolic “houses”-the Jailhouse (where purpose was born), God’s

House (where healing took root), and the Courthouse (where destiny was fulfilled)-she delivers

a powerful message of redemption, resilience, and divine calling.

Kaysia is a Jamaican-American legal powerhouse and founder of Seeds of Manna, Inc., a

nonprofit dedicated to empowering underserved communities and supporting international

relief efforts. Kaysia merges purpose and philanthropy by donating book proceeds to support

disaster relief mission in Jamaica, aiding families and communities in need.

Houses Built by Faith will officially debut at a book signing launch on Saturday, December

13, 2025, from 11:00 a.m.- 2:00 p.m. at the Marriott Coral Springs Hotel & Convention Center -

Parkland is located at 11775 Heron Bay Blvd., Coral Springs, FL 33076. Tickets to attend the

launch must be purchased in advance at www.KaY-siaEarleY-.com.

Kaysia M. Earley, Esq. is a nationally recognized trial attorney and founder of Earley Law

Firm, based in Broward County, Florida, Earley has tried over 700 cases to verdict and is a

frequent legal analyst on CourtTV, Law & Crime, NewsNation, CBS, and MSNBC.

“I’ve been redeemed from the depths of brokenness to pursue justice, love mercy, and walk

humbly-that’s not just my calling, it’s my story.” - Kaysia M. Earley, Esq.

For some, being home for

the holidays means lots of

extra family time, often with

multiple generations coming

together to celebrate under

one roof. Most likely, your

conversations at this time

will center around what’s

new at work or what trip you

went on over the summer.

This November, we’re asking

you to take advantage of this

rare opportunity to take the

conversation in a different,

proactive direction.

Bright Pink is a national

nonprofit focused on the

prevention and early

detection of breast and

ovarian cancer. As up to

25 percent of breast and

ovarian cancers are familial

or hereditary, having an

understanding of your family

health history landscape can

act as a powerful roadmap

for you and your healthcare

provider. We want to help

you understand why it’s

important, what information

to collect, and what to do with

your family health history

when it’s collected.

The Facts

Having a first-degree

relative (a mother, sister, or

grandmother) who has had

breast or ovarian cancer can

double your risk. And, if

their cancer was the result

of a genetic mutation, that

can be passed down across

generations by either parent.

When this happens, your risk

of breast cancer can be as high

as 87% and as high as 54% for

ovarian cancer.

There are many actions

that women can take to

reduce their risk or detect

these cancers early (the 5-year

survival rate for breast and

ovarian cancer when detected

early can be greater than

92 percent!), but it takes an

initial understanding of that

risk to identify what actions

may be most meaningful for

your health.

Your Thanksgiving Game

Plan

Between travel delays,

turkey cooking time, and

holiday shopping plans, the

holidays can become jampacked.

That’s why Bright

Pink wants to help equip

you with the tools you need

to gather your family health

history and assess your risk,

and a game plan to fit it all

into what can be a hectic long

weekend.

Step 1: Collect your

questions beforehand.

When looking at your

family health history, both

your parents’ sides are equally

important in determining

your personal level of risk.

While breast and ovarian

cancer history are important,

other types of cancer can also

be indicators of an inherited

genetic risk, so capture

everything you can. Ask:

Who had cancer?

What type of cancer?

How old were they at

diagnosis?

Step 2: Explain why you

are asking.

These conversations can

be difficult, and talking about

family health history may

not be part of your normal

dinner discussions. Consider

starting the conversation

this way: “I recently read

about how family health

history information can help

prevent disease or diagnose

it early. I realized that I don’t

know much about this in our

family! Do you mind if I ask

a few quick questions to help

understand what this could

mean for my health?” Or,

bring it up while discussing

what you’re thankful for –

your health, something that

generations of women before

us didn’t have access to. When

you know your risk, you can

be proactive!

Step 3: Collect what you

can.

This process isn’t foolproof,

and you may have to do some

digging to get all of this

information. If you aren’t able

to answer every question,

don’t let that discourage you.

You’ve taken an amazingly

proactive step by collecting

what you can.

Step 4: Assess Your Risk

After you’ve learned as

much as you can about your

family health history, it’s

time to put that knowledge to

work. Visit AssessYourRisk.

org to complete a digital quiz

that asks questions about

your family health history,

personal health history,

and lifestyle to deliver a

personalized report on your

baseline risk for breast and

ovarian cancer. Email this

report or print it and bring

it to your next primary care

appointment!


Deeply Rooted


The Westside Gazette, under the Management of BI-ADs, Inc., reserves the right

to publish Views and Opinions by Contributing Writers that may not necessarily

reflect those of the Staff and Management of The Westside Gazette Newspaper

and are solely the product of the responsible individual(s) who submit comments

published in this newspaper.

WESTSIDE

GAZETTE

NEWSPAPER STAFF

Bobby R. Henry, Sr.

PUBLISHER

Sonia Henry-Robinson

COMPTROLLER

Tawanna C. Taylor

ADMINISTRATIVE ASST.

Pamela D. Henry

SENIOR EDITOR

Arri D. Henry

CREATIVE DIRECTOR

Carma L. Henry

COMMUNITY NEWS

EDITOR

Sylvester “Nunnie’

Robinson SPORTS

Editor

Elizabeth D. Henry

CIRCULATION

MANAGER

NoRegret Media

WEBMASTER

Carma T. Taylor

DIGITAL SPECIALIST

Eric Sears

IT SPECIALIST

Ron Lyons

PHOTOGRAPHER

Levi Henry, Jr.:

PUBLISHER (Emeritus)

Yvonne Henry: EDITOR

(Emeritus)

WEBSITE:


Broward County’s

Largest African

American Owned and

Operated Newspaper Serving

Broward -

Miami-Dade

and Palm Beach Counties

545 N.W. 7th Terrace

Fort Lauderdale, FL 33311

Mailing Address:

P.O. Box 5304

Fort Lauderdale,FL 33310

OFFICE (954) 525-1489

FAX: (954) 525-1861

E-MAIL ADDRESS: MAIN

wgazette@thewestsidegazette.com

EDITOR

pamlewis@thewestsidegazette.com

COMMUNITY DIGEST

wgproof@thewestsidegazette.com

PUBLISHER

brhsr@thewestsidegazette.com

PROUD MEMBERS OF THE: NA-

TIONAL

NEWSPAPER

PUBLISHERS

ASSOCIATION (NNPA)

AND FLORIDA

ASSOCIATION OF BLACK

OWNEDMEDIA

The Westside Gazett

Newspaper is

Published Weekly

by Bi-Ads. Inc. DBA

Subscription Rates: $50

Annual $1.00 per copy

CREDO -The Black Press

beieves that

American best lead the

world away from racial

and national antagonisms

when it accords to

every person, regarless of

race, color or creed, full

human and legal rights.

Hating no

person, feaing no person,

the Black Press strives

to help every person in

the firm belief that all are

hurt as long as anyone

is held back.

LETTERS TO THE

EDITOR GUIDELINES

We welcome letters from

the public. Letters must

be signed with a clearly

legible name along with

a compete address and

phone number.

No unsigned

letters will be considered

for publiction.

The Westside Gazettere

serves the right to edit

letters. Letters should be

500 words or less.

RACISM: A SERIAL

KILLER OF BLACK

PEOPLE

“Racism acts as a systemic serial killer of

Black people increasing their mortality rate.”

John Johnson II 11/04/25

By John Johnson II

Racism is not merely prejudice or bias; it

is a systemic serial killer that stalks Black

lives across generations. It weaponizes

institutions, social policies, and cultural

norms to inflict harm, shorten lifespans,

and deny dignity. Unlike a lone assailant

acting in the shadows, racism is a coordinated

structure—visible, persistent, and

lethal.

Systemic inequities are its first weapon.

Housing discrimination, underfunded schools, and exclusion

from wealth-building pipelines did not occur by accident.

Redlining, segregation, and employment discrimination created

a racial caste system to trap Black Americans in economic

precarity. When opportunity is intentionally withheld for

centuries, poverty becomes state-engineered, not self-inflicted.

This inequality fuels every other deadly outcome.

Health disparities and chronic stress are the next wounds.

The body keeps score when confronted with relentless bias.

Chronic stress elevates cortisol, triggers cardiovascular disease,

and shortens life expectancy. Black women, regardless

of income or education, face disproportionately high maternal

mortality rates because the health-care system often ignores

their pain, misdiagnoses symptoms, or treats them as less

credible. Racism is literally internalized—in blood pressure,

immune responses, and premature death.

Environmental and economic injustices serve as additional

tools. Black communities are routinely placed near toxic waste

facilities, industrial zones, and highways, exposing residents

to polluted air and contaminated water. From Cancer Alley in

Louisiana to Flint, Michigan, environmental racism is not accidental

geography—it is policy-driven harm. Simultaneously,

exploitation in the labor market, wage suppression, and discriminatory

lending suffocate Black economic mobility. When

breath, water, and wages are manipulated, survival itself becomes

conditional.

Highways themselves became weapons. In Miami, the construction

of I-95 bulldozed Overtown—once known as the “Harlem

of the South”—destroying Black churches, clubs, businesses,

and displacing thousands, shattering a thriving cultural

and economic hub. I-95 was intentionally planned to disrupt

the once striving Black community.

Similar devastation occurred across Florida: Tampa’s Black

Central Avenue corridor was gutted by I-275; Orlando’s Parramore

community was severed by I-4; Jacksonville’s LaVilla

and Brooklyn were splintered by highway expansion; and St.

Petersburg’s Gas Plant district was razed for redevelopment.

These were not engineering coincidences, but deliberate routes

chosen through Black prosperity, echoing the same intent that

fueled the 1921 Tulsa Greenwood massacre—targeting and

erasing Black success to preserve white dominance.

Violence and the justice system compound the threat. From

slave patrols to modern police departments, punitive force

against Black bodies has been codified. Extrajudicial killings,

racial profiling, and militarized policing communicate a chilling

truth: in America, Black life remains negotiable. Courtrooms

then reinforce this hierarchy through unequal sentencing,

prosecutorial bias, and judicial indifference. Justice is not

blind—it sees color and punishes accordingly.

Homicide remains one of the most visible scars. Black Americans

are disproportionately victims of homicide, a reality driven

by concentrated poverty, lack of state investment, and the circulation

of weapons in communities long deprived of economic

opportunity. Violence is not innate; it grows where government

abandons and destabilizes. Racism creates the conditions, then

blames the victims.

Mass incarceration is racism’s longest-running trap. The prison

industrial complex siphons away Black men at staggering

rates, fracturing families, stripping voting rights, and transforming

punishment into profit. The Thirteenth Amendment

may have abolished slavery, but the clause permitting forced

labor for those “duly convicted” birthed a new plantation—one

made of steel bars and legal loopholes. Incarceration becomes

not a response to crime, but a strategy of racial control.

Racism’s serial killings occur quietly and loudly, through policy,

neglect, bullets, polluted lungs, and stolen potential. America

cannot heal until it admits what history makes plain. Black

death is not incidental—it has been structured, normalized,

and defended.

To dismantle this lethal system, the nation must confront

truth without defense, reform institutions without delay, and

treat Black life as sacred—not expendable. Until then, racism

remains the most prolific serial killer in American history.

YOU BE THE JUDGE!

Why Democrats lost voter confidence

By Bob Topper

Democrats are relieved by the outcome of

the last election. They think that the people

finally see the Trump administration for what

it is, a fascist-leaning government that favors

the rich and well connected at the expense of

the poor. The wins are impressive, but to move

past the Trump era, there is much more work

to do.

Democrats lost two presidential elections to a charlatan and

the party’s approval rating is abysmal. A Wall Street Journal

poll conducted in July showed their favorability at only 33%.

They should understand why they lost voter confidence and

recognize how it happened.

Critics say that to regain their standing, Democrats must

return to the center. They point to the governorships in

Viginia and New Jersy that were won by moderate candidates.

But coming to center will not address a more serious and


Johnson C. Smith University Raises The

CIAA Football Championship Banner

By James B. Ewers Jr.

Ed.D.

The last time my beloved

alma mater, Johnson C.

Smith University won a CIAA

Football Championship was

1969. That’s a long time ago

by any barometer that you

use. I live in another time

zone, yet my clock is always

on JCSU time.

I have watched, read and

heard about the new Golden

Bulls football team over the

past few years. My thinking

was there seemed to be a new

The awkward canonization

of Dick Cheney

By Jared O. Bell

My 91-year-old grandmother has

a litany of wise sayings, but one in

particular always stayed with me. A few

times after we attended a funeral, she

would comment on the eulogies with a

matter-of-fact clarity, saying, “People

get up there with the lying and the

carrying on, acting like the person was

a saint when in life they weren’t.” In

other words, death does not magically

transform the flawed into the flawless.

Last week, as the nation mourned former Vice President Dick

Cheney, her words echoed loudly. The narrative that emerged

felt strangely predetermined. Tributes poured in describing him

as a patriot, a strategic mind, a man of unshakable conviction.

Even former President George W. Bush framed him in soft

focus, calling him a “good man who loved his country.” His coffin

was greeted by a host of leaders across the political aisle, each

offering solemn nods and polished praise as though bipartisan

ceremony could smooth over the jagged edges of his legacy.

Others followed the same script. Republican leaders hailed

his “steadfast leadership.” Cable news tributes emphasized

his “unwavering commitment to American security,” and

commentators portrayed him as a statesman whose judgment

shaped a generation. But that carefully curated remembrance,

respectful as it may be, was incomplete. It was sanitized. It

skipped the chapters that defined millions of other people’s

lives far more than his virtues ever did.

Because the truth is this: Dick Cheney was not merely a

controversial figure. He was the chief architect of a catastrophic


Just in Time for Thanksgiving, Hope for an America

Where Ending Poverty Comes Before Party

At a Virginia estate that shaped civil-rights history,

an unlikely conservative keeps bipartisan hope alive

By Ben Jealous

attitude and a new way of

doing business.

It was my honor to meet

Maurice Flowers, head

football coach at JCSU a few

years ago. I interviewed him

for a story that I did and

came away thinking that he

is a winner. He talked like a

winner and had a distinctive

confidence in himself. Plainly

put, he had the “it factor”.

I was hooked. So, I tuned

in or turned on to find out the

score between JCSU and our

opponent. Last year was a

year that we almost made it.

The world of our screens has many of

us dreading Thanksgiving. The things old

friends and family members post on social

media convince us in an instant that

they’ve lost any semblance of sanity. But

time in person quickly reminds us that we

actually love them and still have far more

in common than we don’t.

Today’s media makes me long for the

leaders who once shaped our public discourse

before social media and 24-hour news seemingly distorted

it beyond repair. As Congress grows louder and louder

with increasingly extreme declarations—threatening another

shutdown after the recent crisis already shuttered agencies

and disrupted vital food support for poor families—I find myself

missing Jack Kemp more than ever. As a Democrat, I miss

Kemp most of all because he was a Republican who believed

that fighting poverty and protecting civil rights were American

obligations—even when his party didn’t have much appetite

for either.

When I became the youngest president in the history of the

NAACP at 35, the first assignment our then-chairman Julian

Bond gave me was to go meet Jack Kemp.

I must admit I was a little baffled as to why I was being sent

to meet with a Republican so quickly—let alone one who was

no longer in office. Bond explained he had personally tapped

Kemp to co-chair a commission advising the NAACP on its future

direction because lasting change demands bipartisan consensus,

not just partisan warfare. Kemp made one request to

me: “No surprises.” I kept my promise. And in him I found a

creative problem solver and courageous ally.

With Kemp’s encouragement, I repeatedly reached out to Republican

leaders when I led the NAACP with great success:

we abolished the death penalty in the first state south of the

Mason-Dixon line, helped shrink prison systems in Georgia

and Texas, and led a final push in a successful effort to restore

voting rights for thousands of formerly incarcerated people in

Virginia—each time with support from top Republicans willing

to be courageous on civil rights.

Still, Kemp had a special way of making his commitment to

courage plain. Julian Bond once told me a story to explain why

he trusted Kemp so deeply. During Kemp’s presidential run,

Bond recalled, a reporter pressed him on how he could seek the

Republican nomination while being described as a card-carrying

member of the NAACP. Kemp didn’t hesitate.

“I can’t help but care about the rights of the people I used to

shower with,” he said. That level of candor—that shared investment

in defending human decency regardless of party—is

vanishing from American politics.

Recently, 24-hour news had me all but convinced Kemp’s


I know the JCSU family was

disappointed near and far.

You see, I was a studentathlete

at Johnson C. Smith

University and was a part of

a CIAA Tennis Championship

team. I know first-hand the

thrill of victory and the agony

of defeat because I have been

on both sides of that sports

equation.

While 2 nd place is a

great achievement, it’s not

the championship trophy.

Winning is tough and there

is a gear that you must

shift to in order to achieve a

championship.

The 2025 Johnson C.

Smith University Football

team is now the champion of

the Central Intercollegiate

Athletic Association. Let’s

ring the bell and applaud

mightily for this wonderful

accomplishment.

I have often said that

records can be broken but

championships cannot. They

will remain with you forever.

To be called a CIAA champion

is a high honor and must be

celebrated. It must be revered.

The football target was on

this team’s back for the past

month. Lose and they were

out of contention. There could

be no slip ups. It had to be

winning time each week.

Fayetteville State

University wanted to play

spoiler, but our character and

our resilience stopped them.

I believe our team must have

said, “The Golden Bulls are in

your house and it’s winning

time for us.”

Every member of the

Golden Bulls nation was on

high alert as we defeated the

Broncos. However, we still

had more work to do.

My antenna was up

because I knew that

Livingstone College was

our next opponent. We hear

the term, win and you’re

in and that was certainly

true for us on Saturday,

November 8 th . A victory in

The Commemorative Classic

would send us to the CIAA

Championship game. We won.

Virginia Union University

would be our foes on Saturday,

November 15 th . Alumni and

friends of JCSU all arrived

in Durham NC to watch the

game. Those who couldn’t

attend watched it on HBCU

Go, a television station owned

by Byron Allen.

Announcements and

pronouncements were made

by the media about the

significance of this game. The

CIAA is the oldest African

American athletic conference

in America.

The two teams were both

ranked in the NCAA II college

rankings. Pundits opined that

regardless of the outcome

both teams would make the

playoffs. We defeated the

Virginia Union University

Panthers 45-26.

Hold high the Gold and

Blue as the JCSU Golden

Bulls will forever be called

CIAA Champions.


BUSINESS

UNITY IN THE

COMMUNITY DIRECTORY

Serving South Florida for Over 40 Years

Management Sales Rentals

Cell: 754-234-4485

Office: 954-733-7700 ext. 111

Fax: 954-731-0333

4360 W. Oakland Park Blvd Email: ken@acclaimcares.com

Lauderdale Lakes, FL 33313

Web: www.acclaimcares.com

STS TAX STS TAX

SERVICES INC. in association with

Johnnie Smith, Jr.

Jr.

Enrolled Agent

Agent

Franchise Tax Professional

Franchise Tax Professional

*Tax * ax Tax Preparation Preparation * *Accounting Accounting * Payroll

*Payroll

3007 W. Commerical Blvd., Suite 204

3007 W. Fort . Commercial Lauderdale, FL Blvd., 33309

Suite 204

Tel. Fort (954) Lauderdale, 730-2226 - Fax: FL 730-2036

33309

Tel. el. (954) 730-2226 Cell (954) - 303-5779

Fax: (954) 730-2036

johnnie.smith@hrblock.com

Cell (954) 303-5779

johnnie.smith@hrblock.com

www.hrblock.com

www.hrblock.com

133 N. State Road 7

Plantation, Fla. 33317

(Corner of Broward Blvd. & State Rd. 7

(954) 587-7075

Kenneth R. Thurston

REALTOR, CPM, CAM

FRED LOVELL, Lic. Opt.

(Over 30 Years in Optics)

* $29.50 - Single Vision

*$44.50 - Bifocal * $89.50 - Progressive

* (-+400 sph+200 cyl/add + 3.00)

Advertise Here

Have Your Business Card Placed On This Page

For more information, call (954) 525-1489


Deeply Rooted

Albany Southwest Georgian Marks 87 Years With Gala

Albany, GA — The Albany Southwest Georgian Newspaper

will celebrate its 87th anniversary with a semi-formal Gala

on Friday, December 5, 2025, at 6:00 PM at Albany Technical

College (Kirkland Building).

Founded in 1938 by the late Virgil Hodges and A.C. Searles,

the Albany Southwest Georgian has spent nearly nine decades

chronicling local history, amplifying community voices, and

serving as a trusted source of information for Southwest

Georgia. This year’s celebration honors that legacy while

spotlighting the people and organizations shaping the region

today.

Adding to the significance of the night, Mr. Bobby R.

Henry, Sr. will serve as keynote speaker. Henry is a prominent

publisher and advocate for African American media, serving

as the publisher of the family-owned Westside Gazette media

company. He earned his bachelor’s degree in sociology from

Florida Memorial University, laying the foundation for a

lifelong commitment to community service and social justice. A

recipient of several awards for his contributions to journalism

and community advocacy, Henry is recognized for his impact

and excellence in the field.

Henry serves as immediate past chairman of the National

Newspaper Publishers Association

(NNPA), playing a pivotal role in promoting and supporting

Black-owned media companies nationwide. He and his wife,

Bertha Henry, a retired Broward County administrator, are

proud parents of four and foster a family environment that

values education and civic engagement. An avid lover of

outdoor activities, Henry enjoys exploring nature and traveling

with his family.

Following the keynote, the evening will feature the People’s

Choice Awards, recognizing outstanding achievements in

six categories: Faith Leadership, Community Impact, Youth

Rising Star, Educator of Excellence, Business Excellence, and

Nonprofit Champion. Public voting closed on November 15

after robust participation from readers across the region.

Organizers say the Gala is both a tribute to the past and a

salute to the present.

“The Albany Southwest Georgian has been the voice of our

community for nearly nine decades.

This Gala is our way of celebrating legacy and the people

who continue to shape and strengthen Albany, Georgia.”

Community members, business owners, faith leaders,

elected officials, and supporters are invited to join the

celebration as the newspaper honors excellence and continues

its longstanding mission of service to Southwest Georgia.

Dale V.V. Holness

officially launches

campaign for US

Congress, FL District 20

A Transformational Leader Bringing

20+ Years of Proven Results to Congress

FORT LAUDERDALE,

FL -- Dale V.C. Holness,

former Mayor of Broward

County and champion for

working families, officially

launched his campaign for

Congress in Florida’s 20th

Congressional District.

A lifelong Democrat and

veteran public servant,

Holness has a proven record

of delivering bold solutions,

expanding opportunity, and

transforming communities.

He is running to bring the

same leadership to the United States House of Representatives.

As a grassroots organizer and Democratic leader for over

40 years, Holness has been a trusted advisor to state and

national leaders on economic empowerment and community

development. His campaign for Congress is built on the same

foundation that has defined his public service: listening to

communities, solving problems, and fighting for the dignity of

every person. Over the past 20+ years as an elected official, he

has demonstrated this commitment through concrete results in

South Florida.

“Leadership isn’t about titles—it’s about taking action

that changes lives and brings resources back home,” Holness

said. “I’ve spent more than 20 years fighting for jobs, justice,

opportunity, and dignity for South Florida families. District 20

deserves a representative who shows up, delivers results, and

understands the struggles our families face every day.”

Holness has spent his career breaking down barriers and

building pathways to prosperity. He was a leader on major

projects creating tens of thousands of jobs, including a 30-year

transportation plan generating $16 billion in economic activity,

FLL Airport expansion, Port Everglades modernization, and

$1 billion Convention Center & Hotel redevelopment.

Holness has delivered 200+ affordable homes in historically

neglected communities, helped to direct $59 million in

emergency rental assistance for underserved communities,

and architected the landmark “30-for-30” policy guaranteeing

30 percent of transportation surtax funds support small,

minority- and women-owned businesses for three decades.

The 2025 Asset Limited, Income Constrained, employed

(ALICE) Report highlights the crisis facing Florida families:

13% live in poverty, 34% are working full-time but cannot

afford basic needs, and 47% of households fall below the ALICE

threshold. Workers include nurses, teachers, drivers, servers,

security guards, retail employees, and caregivers. These are

the people who keep communities running yet struggle to make

ends meet. These numbers are even higher in District 20.

“Our families are doing everything they can, but the cost

of living is outpacing their wages,” Holness said. “These aren’t

just statistics—these are our neighbors, coworkers, and family


The Blueprint of Manipulation: How

Jeffrey Epstein’s Power Network

Conditioned it’s Victims- Through

the Eyes of Survivor Lisa Phillips

A Three Part Series

PART II — Inside the Machine: Conditioning, Grooming, and

Coercive Control

By Sensible Sue

The first “massage” was only the beginning. In the years

after, Lisa’s relationship with Epstein grew into something

far more intricate than a predator and prey. She visited his

Manhattan mansion. She went to his office. Some sessions

were professional, other times not. Sometimes they talked

for hours. Other times, she knew it would end in abuse. But

the environment never felt entirely hostile: he maintained the

guise of mentorship.

Over time, Lisa found herself conditioned. She would bring

friends along to meet Epstein — not because she was forced,

but because she believed that was what privileged young

women did. She thought she was networking. She thought she

was helping her career, helping her friends. She believed she

was doing the “right thing” for people she cared about, because

Epstein had framed this all as an elevated circle of opportunity.

The blueprint of grooming deepened. Repetition softened her

resistance. Every time she returned, she told herself it would

be different. When it wasn’t, she rationalized it — because he

helped her career, because he made her feel special, because he

held doors she still thought she needed. She believed her own

narrative: that Epstein was not purely an abuser, but someone

with power who could lift her up.

He used silence and secrecy as instruments of control.

There was no public conversation about what really happened

in those closed rooms. The very thing she was being groomed

into — the act of bringing in trusted friends became part of

the conditioning. She didn’t protest. In fact, she helped the

system work. She helped the system work because the patterns

of abuse were ever so subtle, making them undetectable and

ultimately normalized.

Lisa’s internal world fractured. She lived with shame,

confusion, and a warped sense that what she was doing was


Don’t let predatory debt traps

rob the holiday season’s joy

App-based loans could magnify financial

stresses after government shutdown, says CRL

By Charlene Crowell

The holidays

are coming, and

many financially

strapped families

are considering

how to responsibly

manage their use

of credit while still

enjoying seasonal

gatherings,

presents, feasts

and toasts of glad

tidings for all. The

yuletide season is also a time to especially avoid predatory

lenders that offer workers quick access to cash via loans with

triple-digit interest rates and hidden fees that can wreck their

finances for months.

The convenience of mobile phones and personal computers

removes the need to visit storefront lenders to access easy cash

Two fast-growing loan products, Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL),

and Earned Wage Access (EWA) have emerged as new business

models that deceive consumers into debt.

“App-based payday lenders have co-opted the language of

financial inclusion in an effort to disguise the ancient grift

of exploiting underpaid workers with usurious loans,” said

Monica Burks, policy counsel at the Center for Responsible

Lending (CRL). “These companies promote a legal fiction that

their loans are not loans, pretend the standard measurement

for interest rates doesn’t reflect their loans’ costs, and push

borrowers to pay fees deceptively called ‘tips.’”

In a new policy brief, Nickel and Dimed: How Payday Loan

Apps Drain Workers’ Pay and How to Stop Them, CRL shows

that these lenders’ business models are designed to drive repeat

borrowing and extract high fees.



CHURCH DIRECTORY

Deeply Rooted

Have Your Church Announcements Placed

In Our Church Directory


First Baptist Church Piney Grove, Inc.

4699 West Oakland Park Blvd., Lauderdale Lakes, FL 33313

(954) 735-1500 - Fax (954) 735-1999

CHURCH OFFICE HOURS

Monday - Friday 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM

Church Website: www.fbcpineygrove.org

Dr. Ezra Tillman, Jr. Senior Pastor

WORSHIP SERVICES

Sunday ..... 8:00 AM & 11:00 AM In Person Virtual

Sunday School.......9:30 AM In Person

Bible Study on Wednesday.......11:30 AM & 7:00 PM In Person & Virtual

"Winning the World for Jesus"

Harris Chapel Church, Inc.

Rev. Stanley Melek, M.Div

e-mail: harrischapelinc@gmail.com

2351 N.W. 26th Street

Oakland Park, Florida 33311

Church Telephone: (954) 731-0520

SERVICES

Sunday Worship........................10:30 AM

Church School................................................9:00 AM

Wednesday (Bible Study).........11:00 AM to 7:00 PM

Living Waters Christian Fellowship

Meeting at Central Charter School Building #5

4515 N. St. Rd. 7 (US 441)

(954) 295-6894

SUNDAY SERVICE: 10 AM

Iwcf2019@gmail.com (Church)

lerrub13@gamil.com (Pastor)

Rev. Anthony & Virgina Burrell

Jesus said, ‘‘let anyone who is thristy come to Me and drink.” (John 7:37)

Mount Hermon A.M.E. Church

Reverend Henry E. Green, III, Pastor

401 N.W. 7th Terrace, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33311

Phone: (954) 463-6309 Fax: (954) 522-4113

Office Hours: Monday - Thursday 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM

Email info@mthermonftl.com

SUNDAY CHURCH SERVICES

Worship Service....................................9:00 AM

In person/www.mounthermonftl.or/YouTube Live/FaceBook

Church School.............................9:30 AM

BIBLE STUDY: Wednesday........................10:00 AM

Bible Study Wednesday ...............7:00 PM via Zoom

Meeting ID: 826 2716 8390 access code 55568988#

Daily Prayer Line.............................6:00 AM

(716) 427-1407 Access Code 296233#

(712) 432-1500 Access Code 296233#

New Mount Olive Baptist Church

Dr. Marcus D. Davidson, Senior Pastor

400 N.W. 9th Avenue Fort Lauderdale, FL 33311

Office (954) 463-5126 - Fax: (954) 525-9454

CHURCH OFFICE HOURS

Monday- Thursday 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM

WORSHIP SERVICES & BIBLE STUDY

Sunday Services: In Person

8:00 AM and 10:45 AM

Virtual..................9:00 AM

Sunday School....................9:30 AM

Wednesday Encountering Truth

Noonday Bible Study...........12:00 PM to 12:30 PM

Where the Kingdom of God is Increased through:

Fellowship, Ledership, Ownership and Worship

As we F.L.O.W. To Greatness!

Mount Nebo Missionary Baptist Church

Rev. Danny L. McKenzie, Sr., Senior Pastor

2251 N.W. 22nd St., Fort Lauderdale, FL 33311

P.O. Box 122256, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33312

Church: (954) 733-3285 - Office: (954) 733-3606

Email: mountnebobaptist@bellsouth.net

Website: www.mountnebaptist.org

SCHEDULE OF SERVICES

Sunday School ..........................8:30 A.M.

Sunday Worship ....................10:00 A.M.

Tuesday Night Bible Study..............7:00 P.M.

"A Great Place To Worship"

Celebrating 100 Years of Blessing!! 1925-2025

Mt. Zion Missionary Baptist Church

Dr. James B. Darling, Jr., Pastor/Teacher

1161 NW 29th Terrace; Fort Lauderdale, FL 33311

Fort Lauderdale, FL 33310

(954) 581-0455 - (FAX) 581-4350

mzbc2011@gmail.com - www.mtzionmbc1161.com

CHURCH OFFICE HOURS

Tuesday - Friday 11:00 A.M. - 4:00 P.M.

WORSHIP SERVICES

Sunday Worship...................................................10:15 A.M.

Communion Service (1st Sunday) .........................10:15 A.M.

2nd & 4th Tuesday Night Prayer Workshop/Bible Study................7:00 P.M

Wednesday Night Prayer Service.......................6:30 P.M.

Wednesday Night Church School ............7:00 P.M.

"I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength"

New Birth Baptist Church

Catheral of Faith International

Bishop Victor T. Curry, M. Min., D. Div. Senior Pastor/Teacher

ORDER OF SERVICES

Sunday Worship.............................9:30 AM

Sunday School ..............................8:30 AM

Tuesday Bible Study...................7:00 PM

Wednsday Bible Study..................10:30 AM

(305) 685-3700 (0) * (305) 685-0705 (f)

www.nbbcmiami.org

St. Ruth Missionsary Baptist Church

145 NW 5th Avenue

Dania Beach, FL 33004

(954) 922-2529

WORSHIP SERVICES

Wednesday (NOON DAY PRAYER.......................12- 1 PM

Sunday Worship Service ...................................10:00 AM

Website: www.struthmbc.org

"Celebrating 115 Years of Service"

Victory Baptist Church Independent

Pastor Keith Cunningham

2241 Davie Blvd., Fort Lauderdale, FL 33312

Church: (954) 284-9413

Sunday School .................................................9:45 AM

Worship Service Sunday Morning..................................11:00 AM

Sunday Evening Service.........................................6:00 PM

Bible Study...................................................7:30 PM

Wednesday Evening Bible Study & Prayer ........................7:00 PM

Saturday Morning Soul Winning/Visitation..............10:00 AM

Men’s Fellowship (Every 2nd & last Tuesdays)................6:00 PM

Ladies Fellowship (the last Saturday of each month)..........................5:00 PM

Youth Fellowship (Every Friday)...............6:30 PM

Discover GOD Let Us Help You Find The Way To Jesus Christ

We STRIVE to PROVIDER Ministries that matter Today to Whole Body of Christ,

not only the Believers, but also for those stranded on the “Jericho Road”!

“Celebrating over 85 Years of FAITH and FAVOR!

Come to the WILL.....We’ll show You the WAY: Jesus the Christ”

The New Beginning

Embassy of Praise

The Most Reverend

John H. Taylor, Bishop, Sr. Pastor

Dr. ML Taylor, Executive Pastor

4035 SW 18th Street, West Park, FL 33023

Sunday Worship Service ..................... 11:00 a.m.

Conference Line - 848-220-3300 ID: 33023

Bible Study - Tuesdays......................... 7:30 p.m.

Noonday Prayer Wednesdays..........- 12:00 noon

Come Worship With Us For Your New Begnning!

THE WESTSIDE GAZETTE

WISHING EVERYONE A

Pastor David E. Deal, Jr.

David Jolly (Florida Politics)

Every Christian's Church

SUNDAY @11:00 am

Phone (313) 209-8800 Conference ID 1948-1949

Bible Trivia

‘Test Your Bible Knowledge'

Biblical enthusiasts should have a basic knowledge of ‘familiar

phrases’ and where they’re found in the Bible. Today’s questions

will Test your knowledge.

Where are the listed phrases found:Eat, drink, and be merry?

1)Fat of the land?

2)The skin of my teeth?

3)Fire and brimstone?

4)Brother’s keeper?

5)Thorn in my side?

6)Sweating blood?

7)A little wine for the stomach?

8) Pride goeth before a fall?

**Biblical Note *** The longest chapter in the Bible is Psalm

119. Psalm 119 is a Acrostic Psalm. 176 verses are divided into 22

stanzas. The verse of each stanzas begin with the same letter of the

Hebrew alphabet.

Answers – 1) Luke 12:16-21. Rich fool; 2) Genesis 45:18.

Joseph tells his eleven brothers; 3) Job 19:20. A very narrow

margin; 4) Genesis 19:24 & Revelation 14:10; 5) Genesis 4:9;

6) 2 Corinthians 12:7-9; 7) Luke 22:44; 8) Timothy 5:23; 9)

Proverbs 16:18

Black faith leaders form

statewide coalition to

back David Jolly for

Governor

By Jesse Mendoza, Florida Politics


More than two dozen pastors from historically Black

congregations across Florida are throwing their support behind

former U.S. Rep. David Jolly’s campaign for Governor, forming

a new coalition called Faith Leaders for Florida’s Future.

The group, chaired by the Rev. R.B. Holmes Jr. of Tallahassee’s

Bethel Missionary Baptist Church, announced its formation

Monday, calling Jolly “a fresh vision, a fresh voice, and fresh

energy” in a state hungry for change.

A Democrat and former Republican, Jolly represented Pinellas

County in Congress from 2014 to 2017. Since declaring his bid

for Governor in June, he has centered his campaign on reducing

housing and insurance costs, expanding access to health care

and education, and moving Florida past years of culture war

politics.

The son of a pastor, Jolly has made faith and inclusion a central

theme of his campaign, but said he rejects the weaponization of

religion in government.

“In a state where faith has been used to launch culture wars for

the last eight years, I have no problem saying to the state that

yes, as a person of faith, I understand that my personal faith

stops at the steps of the statehouse,” Jolly said Wednesday.

“That’s what the Constitution has ordained, and I don’t think it

weakens our faith to take that constitutional approach. I think

it emboldens and strengthens our faith as a faith community.”

Jolly said the endorsements reflect growing frustration among

faith leaders over Florida’s affordability crisis and the divisions

created by state politics. His platform includes expanding

access to health care, strengthening public education, keeping

vaccines available for children, supporting food security

programs, and increasing services

for veterans and seniors.

Although running statewide

as a Democrat remains an

uphill climb, Jolly said he

believes voters are ready for

change.

“I think the cycle is showing

us that Florida’s voters are

screaming for change,” Jolly

said. “The voter delta between

Republican and Democrat




Roy Hardemon, former state lawmaker,

Liberty City advocate, dies at 63

Submitted by Miami

Times Editorial Team


Former Rep. Roy

Hardemon, a passionate

Miami lawmaker and

lifelong advocate for Liberty

City and its neighboring

community, has died,

according to his sister and

his nephew’s office in Miami-

Dade County.

He was 63.

Hardemon, who served

one term in the Florida

House representing District

108 from 2016 to 2018,

was known as a blunt,

neighborhood-first politician

whose priorities rarely

strayed far from the blocks

where he was raised.

Born in Miami on

Aug. 12, 1962, Hardemon

rose from the city’s rough

political scene to become one

of its most outspoken voices

in Tallahassee.

During his two years in

the House, Hardemon sat

on the Health and Human

Services Committee, Careers

and

Competition

Subcommittee, PreK-

12 Appropriations

Subcommittee and

others, filing dozens of

appropriations for youth

programs, senior services,

cultural groups and

stormwater upgrades.

By Isabella

Gomez Sarmiento

(Source: npr)

Jimmy Cliff, the Jamaican

musician and actor who

helped propel reggae into the

international spotlight, has

died at 81 years old. The singer-songwriter

was known for

hits such as "Many Rivers to

Cross," "You Can Get It if You

Really Want" and the title

track in the 1972 crime film

The Harder They Come, in

which he also starred as the

main character.

According to his wife, Latifa

Chambers, Cliff died due

to a seizure followed by pneumonia.

In an announcement

on social media, Chambers

wrote, "To all his fans around

the world, please know that

your support was his strength

throughout his whole career."

Born James Chambers in

1944, Cliff grew up in a ru-

Former State Rep. Roy Hardemon. (Florida House of

Representatives)

Hardemon co-sponsored

legislation that became

laws expanding children’s

initiatives, improving

public health grants,

and allowing criminal

record expungement for

certain offenses. He also

successfully carried a

resolution recognizing the

filmmakers behind the

Miami-based feature film,

“Moonlight,” which heavily

featured Liberty City and

won Best Picture at the 89th

Academy Awards.

After leaving the

Legislature, Hardemon

returned to local activism,

serving for years as Chair of

Deeply Rooted

the Model City Community

Advisory Committee,

where he pressed county

officials to reinvest in longneglected

neighborhoods.

He remained on the panel

until its dissolution in 2020.

Even after his defeats

in later House races, he

remained a fixture at Miami-

Dade County Commission

meetings, urging investment

in housing, jobs and

infrastructure.

Hardemon’s public life

was not without controversy.

He faced numerous

felony charges and was



Jimmy Cliff onstage at the Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland in July 2011. Fabrice

Coffrini/AFP via Getty Images

ral village in Jamaica, and

began singing in school and

in church. His father worked

as a tailor, and hoped his son

would study medicine. After

being exposed to American

music from New Orleans and

Florida through the radio,

a teenaged James moved to

Kingston to pursue an artistic

career.

His first major hit in Jamaica,

"Hurricane Hattie,"

referenced a 1961 storm that

wreaked havoc in the Caribbean.

In 1964, Cliff was selected

to perform at the World's Fair

in New York City as a representative

for the island. The

following year, British-born

producer Chris Blackwell

signed Cliff to his label, Island

Records, and persuaded

him to move to England.

Though he initially struggled

to find his footing with audiences

abroad, Cliff earned

critical and commercial suc-

Viola Ford Fletcher from FP

When she finally testified before Congress at age 107, her

words cut through the nation’s conscience and reignited a

global demand for justice and reparations.

In the last decade of her life, Mother Fletcher transformed

from a hidden survivor into an international voice for truth,

resilience, and historical accountability. She became an author,

a world traveler, and a moral force whose presence reminded

the world that the trauma inflicted on Black communities is not

ancient history, it lives in the memories of elders still waiting

to be made whole. Her life represents more than survival; it is

a call to action. Through her testimony and her unwavering

spirit, she urges this country to face what happened in Tulsa

and to honor the thousands whose lives and generational

wealth were stolen. Viola Ford Fletcher’s story endures as a

testament to the strength of Black America and the urgency of

remembering what others tried to bury.

Reggae pioneer

Jimmy Cliff

dies at 81

cess for songs such as "Wonderful

World, Beautiful People"

and the protest anthem

"Vietnam." Despite addressing

war and tragedy in his



Obituaries

Death and Funeral Notices

A Good Sheperd's Funeral

Home & Cremation

Services Central


VIEW OBITUARIES ONLINE

at www.thewestsidegazette.com

Announcements:

*In Memoriam *Death Notices *Happy Birthdays

*Card of Thanks *Remembrances

Janet Marie

Jackson

Funeral Service

will be held

November

29 th at Greater

St Matthew’s

Holiness

Church.

Quincy Mae

Little

Funeral

Service

was held

November 22 nd

at The

Purple

Church.

Nadine Taylor

Adams - 91

Funeral Service

was held

November 22 nd

at Brown’s

Temple FHB

Church with

Chief Apostle Janice Dillard

officiating.

Joseph

Nathaniel

Belgrave – 67

Funeral Service

was held

November 22 nd

at New Life

Church of God

in Christ with

Superintendent

Wardell Chadwrick officiating.

Virginia D.

Hardge – 82

Funeral Service

was held

November 22 nd

at First Bethel

Missionary

Baptist Church with Rev. Dr. G.

Bernard Pope officiating.

"Black folk built America, and if it don't come

around, we're gonna burn America down...

Violence is necessary. Violence is a part of

America's culture. It is as American as cherry pie."

Jamil Abdullah Al-Amin (H. Rap Brown) was killed

by the state. Targeted for decades, they finally

extinguished the life from him. Power to the people!

Free all political prisoners!!

Maud Cecelia

Parker – 66

Funeral

Service

was held

November

22 nd at James

C. Boyd’s

Memorial

Chapel with

Bishop Novel Wilson officiating.

Dorothy Ann

Simmons – 58

Funeral

Service

was held

November

22 nd at James

C. Boyd’s

Memorial

Chapel with Bishop Grantis Poole

officiating.

Wiliam G.

Smith – 62

Funeral Service

was held

November 22 nd

at James

C. Boyd’s

Memorial

Chapel with

Pastor John

Bennett officiating.

McWhite’s Funeral

Home

Arnold Carter

Funeral Service

was held

November 22 nd

at McWhite’s

Funeral

Home

Chapel.

Georgia

Henderson

Funeral Service

was held

November 20 th

at New Mount

Olive

Baptist Church.

Bill Madison

– 75

Funeral Service

was held

November 22 nd

at Westside

Memorial

Cemetery in

Ashburn, GA.

Leroy Moore

Funeral

Service

was held

November 22 nd

at McWhite’s

Funeral Home

Chapel.

Derick Treasure

Funeral

Service

was held

November 18

at McWhite's

Funeral

Home.

Roy Mizell & Kurtz

Funeral Home

Carolyn

Jones – 71

Funeral

Service

was held

November

22 nd

at Williams

Memorial

C.M.E. Church with Pastor Gloria

Dixon officiating.

Rosalind Webb

McBride – 82

Funeral Service

was held

November 22 nd

at New Hope

Baptist Church

with Pastor

Ricky Scott

officiating and Pastor Terence

Gray officiating.

John L.

Watson, Jr.

- 77

Funeral

Service

was held

November 25 th

at Military

Ceremony and

Interment South Florida National

Cemetery with Brother Harrell

Henton officiating.


Nunnie on the Sideline

By Nunnie Robinson, WSG-Sports Editor

I had a fantastic weekend in Orlando

with family and friends as we participated

in various events related to the

Florida Classic, featuring SWAC conference

foes, state rivals, and mutual

gridiron combatants: the FAMU Rattlers

and the Bethune-Cookman University

Wildcats, the highly acclaimed

Marching 100 and the professionally,

synchronized Wildcat band combined

with the passionate fan base

for each school, one would have to

be a comatose zombie to leave this

town dissatisfied. Considering the pre

and post game activities, the Battle of

the Bands, the various non-football related functions around

the city, one would be hard pressed to even feign disappointment.

The only observation I found somewhat distressing

is that there seem to be as many patrons outside the

stadium as in, based on one’s purpose for being there. It

became immediately apparent that many were there for

reasons other than to enjoy the game and halftime show

such as reveling in the atmosphere and aroma associated

with barbecue, fried fish, chicken, shrimp and the like, while

others were there to make money. For me the attraction is

twofold: the actual game and the halftime show. So permit

minor observations on those two areas.

The Wildcats actually dominated the Rattlers in the first half,

should have scored more than 24 points and should have

run away with the game. But because that didn’t happen,

the proud Rattlers took full advantage of that small window,

scored on the first possession of the second half, turning a

24-9 deficit into a respectable 24-16 game with plenty of

time left.

Y’all know the rest of the story as FAMU finally led the game

34-31, 22 seconds from victory when disaster, calamity, fate

or bad karma snatched or turned certain victory into a devastating

defeat. To be completely transparent, I didn’t see

the PASS live. My daughter, Stacy and two friends, Earl and

Stephanie, made the egregious decision to leave in the

middle of third quarter, anticipating beating the inevitable

traffic jam following the game’s conclusion. With so many

streets blocked off, a direct route to I-4 west proved difficult

and challenging even with GPS assistance. The result

left us meandering around the same area near stadium

we were trying to avoid. Almost two hours later we made it

back to our abode. In addition I was texting longtime BCU

alum and supporter Fred Beneby with scoring updates. The

last to him had BCU up 31-27, so when FAMU retook the lead

34-31, my prophecy to Stacy, another diehard Rattler, was

proving accurate as FAMU regained the lead, setting up the

dramatic conclusion. I had prophesied to my companions

that FAMU could steal the game from the Wildcats. And it

certainly appeared that way until BCU quarterback Timmy

McClain worked his Majic. The definitive question: how do

two defensive players allow a receiver to get behind them,

knowing that the only way the opponent could win the

game is by scoring a touchdown with 22 seconds left in the

game. You must defend the goal line, even interfere if necessary,

because in college the penalty is 15 yards for pass interference.

It appeared that FAMU defensively broke every

situational protocol.

Nevertheless, the 41 yard TD from McClain to Josh Evans

placed them in Wildcat yore forever. There was one scene

which confirmed my affinity and love for college football.

Likely, it was a coach who actually lifted QB MCClain up in

the air, placed him on his broad shoulders and preceded

to spin him around in joyous delirium, a memory that will be

etched in my mind forever. Coach Raymond Woodie and

his staff should be commended for a job well done! Besides,

are lopsided rivalries truly rivalries?

What say you?

South Carolina State secured its place in the Celebration

Bowl, defeating Delaware State 27-17 in Dover, Delaware.

Now they wait their opponent, likely Jackson State, who

must play Prairie View for the SWAC title and a trip to Atlanta.

Miami Dolphins make NFL

history in Madrid

Sunday’s game marked the team’s first

two-game win streak of the season

The first-ever NFL regular-season game played in Madrid,

Spain, at the iconic Estadio Santiago Bernabéu.

The Miami Dolphins defeated the Washington Commanders

16-13 in overtime. (Mark Stallworth for The Miami

Times)

The NFL made history in Madrid, Spain, hosting its first-ever

regular-season game in the country, and the Miami Dolphins

(4-7) made sure the moment was unforgettable. In front of a

roaring international crowd of 78,610 people, the Dolphins

edged out the Washington Commanders, securing a hardfought

16–13 victory that cemented Miami’s place in global

football history.

The Nov. 16 matchup at the iconic Estadio Santiago Bernabéu

wasn’t just about the final score. The week in Madrid was

a full-on Dolphins takeover, filled with fan activations, cultural

experiences, and unprecedented engagement that turned the

city aqua. From massive crowds in Plaza de España to a record

in international outreach, Miami made the most of every moment

to deepen its global footprint.

And it wasn’t just historic for the teams — referee Shawn

Smith also became the first NFL official to ever lead a game on

Spanish soil, a milestone emphasizing the league’s expanding


Against the Grain II

By Vaughn Wilson

Deeply Rooted

I am not as happy as most about FAMU

Volleyball’s SWAC Championship

I want to be clear: I celebrate FAMU

Volleyball’s dominance since joining the

SWAC. Winning four championships in

five years is extraordinary. I am thrilled

the conference selected FAMU to host the

tournament, and it was truly inspiring to

watch our team raise the trophy inside the

Lawson Center.

But what I cannot celebrate is the irresponsible and

unacceptable way Florida A&M University and FAMU

Athletics continue to deprive our student-athletes, coaches, and

staff of the full championship experience they deserve. Time

after time, our coaches win despite facing enormous, avoidable

challenges—constant leadership turnover, inadequate budgets,

outdated facilities, no long-term improvement plan, and now

three years without a clear, actionable strategy for NIL, which

is a necessity at our level.

What I am looking for is leadership with vision—leadership

that mirrors the structure and sophistication of the Power Four,

scaled to what we can realistically achieve. Instead, we have

watched year after year of missed opportunities: poor handling

of media rights, underutilized advertising partnerships, and

championship-caliber coaches forced to operate with bareminimum

resources while still being expected to win. Some

great coaches have simply walked away to other opportunities,

though they would love to be at FAMU.

And that’s before we even touch academics and compliance. We

were told the 2022 fiasco—where mishandled academic issues

nearly canceled the UNC game and led to an embarrassingly

undermanned team against Jackson State—had been fixed.

Yet the blunders continue. The systematic failure to support

our coaches and student-athletes is completely unacceptable.

The university’s response to public criticism in 2022 was the

announcement of 12 new athletics staff positions. So where are

they? Who are they? Are there still 12? Or have we quietly slid

back to the same skeletal staffing structure that created these

problems in the first place?

If those permanent positions truly exist, then how did we end

up with an APR below NCAA standards? How can a university

celebrated for academic excellence not adequately support the

roughly 300 student-athletes who represent FAMU every day

as ambassadors on their fields, courts, and tracks?

When I see our baseball players performing field maintenance

between doubleheaders—while the visiting team sits in the

shade recovering—something is wrong. Yet coach Jamey

Shouppe is still expected to deliver championships every year,

which he has impressively done nearly every other season.

He won’t say it publicly, but I will: it is flat-out disrespectful

to treat a multi-conference champion and multi-time NCAA

Tournament qualifier this way, especially given the state of

the program before he arrived.

When I see coach Charlie Ward missing two major pieces

he expected to build around this year, I have to ask: what is

happening behind the scenes? The 7’4” interior presence he

touted weeks before the season isn’t even on the roster. A

guard expected to lead this team is also gone. The public sees

the Rattlers struggling and points at Ward—yet where are the

players he recruited to win with?

Last year, after winning the championship, I spoke with

volleyball coach Gokhan Yilmaz. His dreams go far beyond

winning the SWAC. He wants to advance in the NCAA

Tournament—win a first-round match and eventually reach

the Sweet 16. He wants to elevate FAMU Volleyball. His

ambition was refreshing, like listening to a kid dreaming of a

new toy. But he cannot achieve that vision without full support

from the university. Right now, we act as if winning the SWAC

is enough. While the conference title is something we cherish,

our coaches want—and deserve—the infrastructure to aspire

to more.

Michael Smith is not to blame. An interim can only stabilize

the ship; he cannot rebuild it. By the time he stepped in,

the budgets were already set. My concerns are directed at

the permanent leadership that has repeatedly left behind

unresolved issues and passed the problems on to the next

person.

I’ve said it repeatedly: FAMU Athletics needs a real,

enforceable strategic plan—one that remains in place even

if leadership changes. Only then can we elevate the vision,

efficiency, and long-term success of FAMU Athletics.

Until that happens, we will continue celebrating championships

won through struggle instead of championships won through

support. And that should never be acceptable at Florida A&M

University.

Shilo Sanders Highlights EWU

Homecoming and 159 Years in Jax

(Source: Jacksonville Free Press)

One of the highlights of the weekend was NFL player Shilo

Sanders who participated in a live broadcast.

The Edward Waters University Tigers were not only excited

for the upcoming homecoming gridiron match-up with Central

State (Ohio) Marauders but also the much awaited annual

‘Presidents Distinguished Podcast Series’ with guest, Shilo

Sanders. The “For The Culture” buzz ended at the Adams-

Jenkins Complex on Friday evening, when the celeb himself

appeared as a panelist with EWU student athletes and coaches

along with President Dr. A. Zachary Faison.

The conversational dialogue from standout #21 of University

of Colorado and Jackson State University was most impactful

and directed to the young adults, “that no matter what the

situation is ahead of you to trust in God and remember that

you can do whatever you desire if you remember to not waste

your talents but stick to your game plan in life,’ said Sanders.

EWC (17) lost to Central State (21) as fans filled the stands


SPORTS

(Source: BlackPress USA)


Lewis Hamilton set to start

LAST in Saturday Night’s

Las Vegas Grand Prix

A portrait of Scuderia Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton during

the 2025 Formula 1 Las Vegas Grand Prix, the 22nd round

of the 2025 FIA Formula One World Championship from

November 21 to 23, 2025 on the Las Vegas Strip Circuit,

in Paradise, Nevada, United States of America. (Photo

Eric Alonso / DPPI)

After two weeks of criticism from Ferrari Chairman John

Elkann, Lewis Hamilton said in Las Vegas he woke up thinking

about driving. However, the turbulence Hamilton is currently

experiencing has not gone away. Before Thursday’s practice,

Hamilton said his passion has not waned and he actually

thinks about driving while sleeping.

“Not really, I wake up thinking about it and I go to sleep

thinking about it and I think about it when I’m sleeping,” he

said. “If anything I have to focus on being able to unplug more.

It’s been a really heavy year. It’s been the busiest year that I

think I’ve had. I’ve been at the factory more than I think I was

at any other factory before.”

Hamilton is sixth in the drivers’ championship, 66 points

behind his teammate Charles Leclerc. He addressed Elkann’s

comments, which had been aimed at both drivers.

Leclerc did not add fuel to the fire.

“People’s interpretations are beyond my control, and I’m

not even interested in wasting time on them, ” he said. “John

called me, as he does after every Grand Prix. We talked about

everything, including what he wanted to say. He wanted to be

constructive and encourage the team to perform better.”

Hamilton, a seven-time world champion, was largely

supportive while recognizing Ferrari is largely climbing uphill.

“I joined this team knowing full well that it takes time to

steer a ship in a different direction,” Hamilton said. “This is a

huge thing, it’s a huge organization. There’s so many moving

parts, you can’t fix it in the click of a finger.

On social media after the Mexico GP, many Ferrari fans

were calling for Elkann to leave the team. Ferrari is the

equivalent of the Dallas Cowboys in the sport: they have the

most fervent and largest fan base. Meanwhile, the Prancing

Horse has not won a constructors’ championship since 2007.

Hamilton’s struggles continue

On the track, Hamilton qualified in 20th, dead last, for the

first time in his career despite an extremely wet track on the

Las Vegas Strip.

There were multiple yellow flags being thrown as drivers

ran wide, off the track, and were cited for track limits. It was


NFL

Commissioner

Roger

Goodell:

Nashville is a

‘Super-Bowl

Ready City’

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell says Nashville is

Super Bowl ready when ‘the stage is built.’ (Photo: Itoro

N. Umontuen)

(Source: BlackPressUSA)

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell visited Nashville on

Friday to get an up-close look at construction progress on

the new Nissan Stadium, the soon-to-be updated home of the

Tennessee Titans. During conversations with reporters and

local stakeholders, Goodell strongly suggested that Nashville

is essentially prepared to serve as a future Super Bowl host

city.

With the next three Super Bowls already assigned to

San Francisco (Santa Clara), Los Angeles (Inglewood), and

Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium, the earliest Nashville could

take its turn would be February 2029.

“I think so much of the vision that Amy [Adams Strunk]

and the Titans have here,” Goodell said, via Jim Wyatt of the

Tennessee Titans’ website. “Listen, it’s an important franchise,

a wonderful franchise for the NFL. And I know that the work

that they’ve done here from the moment you’ve had the draft

[in 2019] and what you did to change the trajectory of the draft

— you actually took the draft and made it yours. But you did it

in a way that made it incredibly impactful for the future of the

NFL — and the Titans.”

When the NFL Draft was held in Nashville in 2019,

organizers for the Nashville Convention and Visitors Corp

reported crowd estimates of 200,000 for both the first and

second days of the draft in Lower Broadway. Nashville drew

600,000 fans over the three days of the NFL draft in 2019.

That record stood until 275,000 fans packed the area around

Campus Martius Park in downtown Detroit for night one of the

2024 NFL Draft. Overall, 700,000 fans poured into Detroit for

the NFL’s springtime signature event.

However, the 2019 NFL Draft still is a fond memory for

organizers, football fans, and The Shield. It marked a turning



Deeply Rooted

Paris Jackson’s $65 Million Tantrum: Family

Power Struggles Explode in New Estate War

By Stacy M. Brown, Black

Press USA Senior National

Correspondent

There are moments in

a family’s life when truth

becomes a battlefield, when

people confuse the echo of

old wounds for revelation,

and when the soft stir of

resentment becomes a storm.

IN THE CIRCUIT

COURT OF THE

17TH

JUDICIAL CIRCUIT,

IN AND FOR

BROWARD COUNTY,

FLORIDA

CASE NO.:

FMCE- 25-0019337

DIVISION: 37/98

RANDALL D. WALLS, Petitioner,

and

CASEY CATO, Respondent,

NOTICE OF ACTION FOR

DISSOLUTION OF

MARRIAGE

(NO CHILD OR

FINANCIAL SUPPORT)

TO: CASEY CATO

{Respondent’s last known address} Unknown

YOU ARE NOTIFIED that an action for dissolution

of marriage has been field against

you and that you are required to serve a

copy of your written defenses, if any, it on

RANDALL D. WALLS whose address is

2753 Northwest Sixth Street, FL 33069 on

or before December 8, 2025 and file the

original with the clerk of this Court at 201

Southeast Sixth Street, Room 4130 Fort

Lauderdale, Florida 33301 before service on

Petitioner or immediately thereafter. If you

fail to do so, a default may be entered

against you for the relief demanded in

the petition.

The action is asking the court to decide

how the following real or personal property

should be divided: {insert “none” or, if applicable,

the legal description of real property, a specific

description of personal property, and then

name of the county in Florida where the property

is located} NONE.

Copies of all court documents in the case,

including orders, are available at the Clerk of

the Circuit Court’s office. You may review

these documents upon request.

You must keep the Clerk of the Circuit

Court’s office notified of your current address.

(You may file Notice of Current Address,

Florida Supreme Court Approved

Family Law Form 12.915.) Future papers in

this lawsuit will be mailed to the address on

record at the clerk’s office.

WARNING: Rule 12.285, Florida Family

Law Rules of Procedure, requires certain

automatic disclosure of documents and information.

Failure to comply can result in

sanctions, including dismissal or striking of

pleadings.

Dated October 24, 2025

Brenda D. Foreman, Clerk of the Circuit

Court

Leslie Santiago, Deputy Clerk

November 6, 13, 20, 27, 2025

IN THE CIRCUIT

COURT OF THE

17TH

JUDICIAL CIRCUIT,

IN AND FOR

BROWARD COUNTY,

FLORIDA

CASE NO.:

FMCE - 25-0020239

DIVISION: 38/98

WISS ROMAIN, Petitioner,

and

LEGAL NOTICES

MARIE DANIELLE AMAZAN Respondent,


DISSOLUTION OF

MARRIAGE

(NO CHILD OR

FINANCIAL SUPPORT)

TO: MARIE DANIELLE AMAZAN

{Respondent’s last known address} 7645 Tam

Oshanter Blvd., North Lauderdale, FL 33068





WISS ROMAIN, whose address is 6625

Winfield Blvd., #102, Margate FL 33063 on

or before December 22, 2025 and file the

original with the clerk of this Court at 201

Southeast Sixth Street, Room 4130 Fort

Lauderdale, Florida 33301 before service on

Petitioner or immediately thereafter. If you

fail to do so, a default may be entered

against you for the relief demanded in

the petition.







is located}

















pleadings.

Dated November 7, 2025

Brenda D. Foreman, Clerk of the Circuit

Court

Leslie Santiago, Deputy Clerk

November 13, 20, 27, December 4, 2025

BLACKPRESSUSA

NEWSWIRE — There

are moments in a

family’s life when truth

becomes a battlefield,

when people confuse the

echo of old wounds for

revelation, and when the

soft stir of resentment

becomes a storm.

Paris Jackson has opened

such a storm. Her new legal

filing against the Michael

Jackson Estate radiates

CLASSIFIED

ADVERTISE:

*LEGAL NOTICES *FOR RENT *FOR SALE *HELP WANTED


IN THE CIRCUIT

COURT OF THE

FIFTEENTH JUDICIAL

CIRCUIT,

IN AND FOR

PALM BEACH COUNTY,

FLORIDA

CASE NO.: 50-2025-

DR-005672

FC

STERLINE JEAN LOUIS, Petitioner,

and

STEEVENSON SAINT FLEUR, Respondent,


DISSOLUTION OF

MARRIAGE

(NO CHILD OR

FINANCIAL SUPPORT)

TO: STEEVENSON SAINT FLEUR

{Respondent’s last known address} 415

Southwest Seventh Court Boynton Beach,

FL 33435





STERLINE JEAN LOUIS, whose address

is 1829 NA Street, Apt. #82 Lake Worth FL

33460 on or before January 5, 2025 and

file the original with the clerk of this Court at

205 North Dixie Highway West Palm Beach

Florida 33401before service on Petitioner or

immediately thereafter. If you fail to do so,

a default may be entered against you

for the relief demanded in the petition.







is located}

















pleadings.

Dated November 5, 2025

Clerk of the Circuit Court

Widchelle Christame, Deputy Clerk

November 13, 20, 27, December 4, 2025

HELP WANTED

anger, suspicion, and the

weight of history. She claims

the men who rebuilt her

father’s empire have turned

probate into a forever machine

that feeds them riches while

denying her and her brothers

the transparency that she

insists is owed to them.

But beneath that filing

lies something older and more

complicated. Long before

Paris entered a courtroom,

a faction within the Jackson

family rejected the executors,

John Branca and John

McClain, and never accepted

that Michael gave them the

authority to run everything.

Office Coordinator.

Pembroke Pines (Broward County)

Manage daily office operation. Schedule meetings, manage calendars,

and assist with internal communications. Support sales and warehouse

teams. Inform suppliers of product availability and timely

shipments. Maintain accurate inventory records. Process invoices/

payments and track receivables/payables. Serve as a point of contact

for clients. Monitor deliveries. Generate regular reports on sales

performance. Requires a bachelor’s degree in business administration

from US or accredited foreign college. Send resume to andres.

duran@lebomarusa.com. Lebomar, LLC.

Chef

Weston (Broward County)

Create and update menus. Oversee food preparation. Order ingredients

and supplies; manage inventory. Monitor food and labor

costs. Enforce sanitary standards. Taste and inspect dishes. Work

with restaurant owners to meet business goals. Requires a Chef

certificate and at least two years of experience working as a Chef in

a restaurant. Send resume to keuhrestaurant@gmail.com.

Fundador, LLC.

Web Developer

Fort Lauderdale (Broward)

Develop, WordPress-based websites for the firms’ services. Implement

legal-specific features to client portals including case management

integration and secure document-sharing systems. Perform

website maintenance. Track website traffic and user interactions.

Automate workflows. Integrate firm’s website with CRM. Improve

website SEO rankings. Optimize website efficiency. Diagnose and

resolve technical issues. Work closely with marketing and design

teams. Requires a bachelor’s degree in Computer Science from US

or accredited college. Send resume to brooks@americasconsumeradvocacy.com.

Americas Consumer Advocacy Group, Inc.

From the Westside Gazette Newspaper

Management & Staff

Amscot provides a wide variety of smart financial solutions for our customers

including check cashing, electronic bill payment, free money orders, and cash

advances. In addition, customers may also obtain and load an Azulos Prepaid

MasterCard ® , wire money, send a fax, make copies, buy stamps, and use a safe,

accessible ATM for often less than many banks or other establishments may

charge. And we do all this, from early in the morning to late at night, 365 days

a year with many branches open 24-hours!

It is a faction that has

included Randy Jackson, who

once desired the executor’s

role for himself, and his

sister Janet Jackson, who

has, at various points, stood

in open opposition to the

Estate. Several insiders say

that faction has found a new

vessel in Paris, and her filing

reads like a continuation of

their war, not the beginning

of hers.

Her petition accuses the

executors of dragging probate

into a sixteenth year because

they benefit from the delay.

She calls the Estate a private

kingdom that shelters itself

in silence. She claims they

sit on more than $460 million

in cash that earned next to

nothing in 2021, that they

paid themselves $7,981,204

in fees that same year, and

that Branca’s own law firm

received $2,162,439 on top

of that. She says more than

$148 million has already

gone to the executors through

31

0

2 7

MIAMI RED

119

338

HOT

LEAD NUMBER

2

74

78912

JUNE

64

06

49

NUMBERS (2-DAY

RESULTS) Send Self

Addressed Envelope and

$10.00 to:

C.L.HENRY or S.H. ROBINSON

P.O.BOX 5304

FORT LAUDERDALE, FL 33310

For Entertainment

Purpose Only!

MAY

APRIL

69

07

48

77

08

MAR.

72

36

49

78

09

FEB.

27

37

55

79

11


Paris Jackson for a Mylo campain in 2021 (Wikimedia

Commons / Photo by Kadri Koop)

2021. She argues that while

they prosper, she and her

brothers remain dependent

on financial reports that

arrive years too late.

But the rest of the story,

the one inside the documents,

is larger than Paris’s filing

allows. It is the story of

how Branca and McClain

inherited an Estate that

was more than $500 million

in debt, riddled with nasty

and unproven allegations,

and raised it into a multibillion-dollar

force that now

surpasses $3 billion in value.

It is the story of projects

that have sold more than $2

billion in tickets worldwide.

It is the story of a lawyer who

89

65

23

28

38

56

88

12

PROFILES

NOVEMBER

20

24

29

39

57

89

13

25

33

44

58

99

26

34

45

59

00

JULY

35

AUG

46 47

66 67 68

14 15 16 17 18 19

FRUITS, FRUITS & FRUITS

SOFT SHELL SWEET &

OIL PECANS $7 a bag

ALSO BEE HONEY -- $5 A PACK

AND THE BEST BOIL & ROASTED

PEANUTS ON THE PLANET,

PERIOD! QUART BAGS $10.00.

I am sorry it had to come this

No more FREE: Onions, Bell

Peppers, Tomatoes and

Potatoes. Prices will increase

Jan. 1, 2025

CALL FORD -- (954) 557-1203.

SEPT.

02 03 04 05

CAPRICORN AQUARIUS PISCES ARIES TAURUS GEMINI

23

14

07-13-18 81-48-62 29-42-26 26-47-08 35-38-94 74-65-15-

CANCER LEO VIRGO LIBRA SCORPIO SAGITTARIUS

35-46-19 74-39-15 12-08-59 20-12-25 45-58-23 16-49-27-

WHAT HOTS? 27-25-34-84-19

LATEST LOTTERY RESULT as of Tuesday, November 27 at 5 p.m.

Pick 2

546/895

Pick 5

456816/664735

41

POWERBALL

08-16-26-30-58 14 2x

DP 04-07-48-65-68 24

FANTASY 5

Mid Nov. 25) 11-16-20-21-23

Evening. Nov. 24) 03-04-10-19-33

NOVEMBER 27, 2025

54

Pick 3

15

48

37

9786/5555

OCT.

CASH4LIFE

05-18-33-41-56 4

negotiated the ATV Beatles

publishing deal, the catalog

acquisition that changed the

industry, and whose work for

Michael spanned decades. It

is the story of “This Is It,” the

highest-grossing concert film

in history, “MJ: The Musical,”

which continues to play to

sold-out houses and has been

showered with Tony Awards,

“The Immortal World Tour,”

“Michael Jackson ONE,” and

the $600 million Sony catalog

deal that fortified the Estate

with unprecedented strength.

The documents note

that Katherine Jackson has



NOV.

DEC.

78

39

69

46

63

77

59

Pick 4

33

61

53

Doublues

04456/59175

LOTTO

02-17-24-29-34-40

17-19-23-30-35-38

38

JACKPOT Triple Play

03-09-15-28-31-35

FLORIDA MEGA

MILLION

03-04-19-31-63 9



YOUR RESULTS, YOUR WAY

FREE

HIV AND SYPHILIS

SELF-TESTING KITS SENT TO

YOUR HOME

Test kits can only be sent to

Broward County addresses.

If you have previously been diagnosed

with syphilis, the syphilis self-testing kit

is not appropriate for you.

For more information, call

954-847-8132

The Westside Gazette

Transform your PDFs into Flipbooks and boost your revenue!

Delete template?

Save as template ?